Is the tech-boom good for Zambia?

THE number of mobile internet devices is set to outnumber humans by the end of this year. There’ll be more smartphones and internet-connected tablets and monitors than there are people on the planet.
Young people in Zambia and all across the world, live in a time of unprecedented expansion of mobile phone technology.
Zambia, whose population stands at 13,817,479 (July 2012 estimates) has an increased mobile user penetration with 8.2 million subscribers, according to the Zambia Information and Communications Technology Authority (ZICTA).
Africa will be one focal point of the boom in smartphones. Microsoft/Huawei and Samsung are launching new smartphones for the African, and Blackberry is already well established on the continent.
Over 2012-17, Africa is predicted to have the strongest mobile data traffic of any region, increasing more than 17-fold over the period.
Clearly, smartphones are hugely empowering for Africa. They’ll spur the growth of entrepreneurship and local businesses, and bring improvements to areas of life including healthcare and education.
But, at the same time, 24/7 technology brings with it stresses and strains, making workers feel they’re always on call.
These feelings may be exacerbated as manufacturers find new ways to keep us online. In the United States, Sergey Brin of Google and other early adopters are already wearing the Google Glass – spectacles which allow wearers to use the internet.
And it’s widely expected that Apple will launch a smartwatch. If we don’t even have to reach into our pockets for our phone in order to connect to work, it’s going to be harder than ever to switch off.
Positive or negative?
In a recent global survey by Accenture, 78 percent of workers said technology lets them be more flexible with their work schedules. But 70 percent said technology brings work into their personal lives. Feelings are clearly mixed.
Technology has facilitated the 24/7 working culture, but other things have fed into it, too. Businesses are interacting with customers and colleagues in different time zones, and members of staff are increasingly expected to be available for late-night or early-morning calls. And the global downturn forced many workers to take on additional duties, which led to them working longer hours.
Positives of work-anywhere technology
So don’t let’s blame everything on technology. And let’s not forget the very positive changes that technology has brought to work and work-life balance over the past decade.
Think how much easier it is to do your job when the cloud means you no longer have to go to the office to access corporate information or applications. Remember how video-conferencing has reduced the need for time-consuming corporate travel.
Both those benefits are possible because technology allows people to work anywhere.
It’s no coincidence that the launch of devices such as the Blackberry in 2003, the iPhone in 2008 and the iPad in 2010 has been accompanied by a steep rise in the number of people using Regus business centres and drop-in business lounges to work.
There are now over one million customers in 100 countries using Regus flexible workplaces, because people are choosing to work at locations that suit them and their customers, instead of doing the old-fashioned fixed, daily commute.
In the latest edition of the Regus Work-Life Balance Index, 41 percent of respondents globally said their companies were doing more to help employees reduce commuting than two years earlier.
In several African countries, including Morocco, Nigeria, Tanzania and Tunisia, the percentage was higher than the global average. Working remotely can save the average employee 79 hours of commuting each year. It also cuts their travel costs and car emissions.
It’s probable that flexible working and other measures to cut commuting are some of the reasons why 61 percent of people in the Regus Work-Life Balance Index 2012 said their work-life balance was better than in 2010.
Negatives of 24/7 management models
The negative aspects of 24/7 mobile technology arise because of management cultures. People use mobile devices and technology for work outside office hours because their bosses or clients expect them to. So it’s not their phones that are preventing them from relaxing, it’s other people.
As smartphone ownership and usage proliferate in Africa, we need to intensify the debate about work-life balance and people’s availability in a 24/7 world. Sure, people may need to do late-night conference calls, but they may be happier to do so if flexible working patterns let them cut their commuting time or juggle home and work commitments.
And office workers may need to think about their own habits too.
It’s not just employers who need to learn the lessons about technology, presenteeism (at the desk or on the end of the phone), and how we can work most productively, it’s also ourselves …